Apparatus and method for subscription to a service and use of the service

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and mechanism to subscribe to a single address and or session management service from multiple devices (such as e.g. tablets, smart phones, netbooks or other types of communication terminals or client devices) with a single account and password through the automatic assignment of a dynamic opaque service profile to each device a user uses to sign in to the service. After sign-in transparent call management services are provided to the user and allow the user to control sessions on any signed-in device from any signed-in device without revealing the distinct dynamic opaque service profiles to the user.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional PatentApplication No. 61/419,400, filed on Dec. 3, 2010. The entirety of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 61/419,400 is incorporated herein byreference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to communication systems and, moreparticularly, to a communication system a communication device andapplication for such a device that permits a user to controlcommunication sessions from any of a number of devices by utilizing aservice. Examples of communication devices may include computers,cellular phones, tablets, desktop computers, laptops, personal digitalassistants, or other terminal devices that utilize one or moreprocessors that run programs stored on memory connected to the one ormore processors to permit communication services to be provided to auser. The service may be hosted by at least one server.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

People often engage in communication sessions with other people inconference sessions. For instance, users may participate in group textmessaging sessions, or instant messaging sessions. As another example,users may participate in conference calls that include audio or videoand audio communications using phones such as cellular phones orcomputers. In other circumstances, a user may have a communicationsession that involves only communicating with one other person in aphone call or via text messaging or via a video/audio communicationconnection using cellular phones or computers. The connections betweenthe users may be established over one or more networks. One example of acombined video and audio communication is a face, time connection usingiPhone cellular phones made by Apple. Another example of such acommunication is a video conference utilizing a camera connected to acomputer having a network connection with at least one othercommunication session participant.

A user may participate in a communication session with one or more otherpeople via their different communication devices. In some circumstances,a user may use a non-mobile device, such as a desktop computer ordesktop phone, to participate in such a session. While the session is inprogress, something may occur that requires the user to move to a newlocation. Traditionally, that user would have to end his or herparticipation in that session using the desktop computer and use anotherdevice to rejoin the session. For instance, if the communication sessionwas a conference call, the user would have to rejoin the communicationsession using a different device, such as a mobile phone to continue toparticipate in the communication session.

The leaving or reentering of the session is typically undesirable as itcreates a delay in the ongoing communication session and can make otherparticipants wait for the user to rejoin the session. In somecircumstances, such an occurrence may require all the users to terminatetheir involvement in the session and then reinitiate a new session toaccommodate the needs of that one user.

Additionally, joining with a different device may expose a differentcontact address to the conference participants. For example, a userdisconnecting from a wired phone and rejoining a conference with a cellphone could expose both his wired phone number and cell phone number tothe participants. If one of the conference participants subsequentlyneeds to contact this user, he or she may not know which phone number touse.

A new device or system is needed to permit a user to control how a usermay participate in a communication session. Preferably, the new deviceor system permits a user to utilize a service that allows the user tomore easily change the device used to participate and communicate in acommunication session without requiring that user to terminate his orher involvement in an ongoing communication session or rejoin thatsession using another device and at the same time automatically expose asingle contact address to his communication peers independently of thedevice being used.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A communication system is provided that includes a first communicationterminal associated with a user and a server that hosts a service. Thefirst communication terminal is connectable with the server to provide afirst message to the server to register with the server so that theservice is usable by the user via the first communication terminal. Thefirst message has user data related to a user account for the use of theservice and at least one routable address of the first communicationterminal. The server assigns a service address to the firstcommunication terminal and associates the service address with a primaryaddress assigned to the user. The server subsequently sends aregistration response to the first communication terminal to identify atleast one of the service address and the primary address to the firstclient device such that the registration response provides the firstclient device with information necessary for communication to the serverfor using the service.

In some embodiments of the system, both the service address and theprimary address may be included in the registration response. Forinstance, the registration response may include a compound address thatincludes both the primary address and service address. The compoundaddress may be associated with the first communication terminal by theserver.

The server may send communication session data to the firstcommunication terminal. The communication session data may concernactive communication sessions involving the user on devices associatedwith the user for use via the service provided by the server. Thesending of the communication session data may occur after the firstcommunication terminal is registered to use the service offered by theserver.

At least one routable address of the first communication terminal may beprovided in a message based on data stored on the non-transitory memoryof the first communication terminal. Alternatively, user input may beprovided that provides at least one mutable address. The user input maybe stored on the non-transitory memory or may be in the cache of thefirst communication terminal.

In some embodiments of the system, the service address may be a dynamicaddress assigned by the server to the first communication terminal. Thedynamic address can be used by the first communication terminal whencommunicating with the server to use the service offered by the server.

The server may be configured to confirm that a license is available tothe user prior to sending the registration response to the firstcommunication terminal. If a license is not available, the server maynot send the registration response or may send a message to the firstcommunication terminal seeking input from the user for paymentinformation so that the user may obtain another license. The servicelevel and features provided by the service may also be determined withthe license assigned to the primary or dynamic service address.

After the first communication terminal is registered with the servicehosted by the server, the server may send one or more messages to theterminal identifying at least one active communication sessionassociated with the user. The one or more active communication sessionscan utilize the first communication terminal or other devices associatedwith the user that are registered for using the service hosted by theserver. The first communication terminal may subsequently send one ormore active communication session move request messages to the serverthat identify a device associated with the user to which an activecommunication session should be moved while that session is stillongoing. The server may receive the one or more active communicationsession move request messages and effect the move to the identifieddevice. The move request message may include the compound address of thedevice to which the session is to be moved.

A method for registering a communication device with a service for usingthe service to move an active communication session associated with auser is also provided. The method may include a server hosting a serviceand a first communication device sending a registration request messageto the server to register with the server. In response to theregistration message, the server may associate the first communicationdevice with the user and assign a service address to the firstcommunication device and associate the service address with the firstcommunication device and the user. The server may send a registrationresponse message to the first communication device that identifies theservice address so that the first communication device is connectable tothe server for using the service via use of the service address.

The method may also include other steps. For instance, the server mayalso confirm that a license is available for the user for registeringthe first communication device prior to sending the registrationresponse message. The registration response message may be a serviceprofile or a SIP service profile.

Other steps that may be utilized in embodiments of the method includethe server sending one or more messages to the first communicationdevice that identify at least one active communication sessionassociated with the user after the first communication device isregistered with the service. The first communication device may send atleast one active communication session move request message to theserver that identifies a device associated with the user to which the atleast one active communication session is to be moved while that sessionis ongoing. The server may receive the at least one active communicationsession move request message and effect a move of the activecommunication session to the device associated with the user identifiedin that at least one move request message.

A non-transitory computer readable medium is also provided. Thenon-transitory computer readable medium may have code stored thereonthat defines a method to be run by a computer device that processes thecode. The method defined by the code may include a first communicationdevice communicating output to a user to obtain input for including in aregistration request message to be sent to a server that hosts aservice, the first communication device sending the registration requestmessage to the server to register with the server, and the firstcommunication device receiving a registration response message from theserver identifying a service address assigned to the first communicationdevice such that the first communication device is connectable to theserver for using the service hosted by the server by using the serviceaddress. The service address may comprise a compound address having aprimary address associated with a user and a dynamic address assigned bythe server.

Embodiments of the non-transitory computer readable medium may be, forexample, memory of a computer device, such as a communication device orcommunication terminal, a flash drive, memory of a server, flash memory,a compact disc, an optical disc storage media, or a DVD. Embodiments ofthe first client device or second client device may be, for example, anSIP endpoint or communication terminal such as, for example, a mobilephone, a computer, a laptop, a personal digital assistant, a netbook, ora tablet computer device. Embodiments of the server may be, for example,a computer device configured to host a service to a plurality ofdifferent client devices by communicating with the client devices.

Other details, objects, and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent as the following description of certain present preferredembodiments thereof and certain present preferred methods of practicingthe same proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Present preferred devices, systems, and apparatuses for controllingsessions from one or more devices are shown in the accompanying drawingsand certain present preferred methods of practicing the same are alsoillustrated therein. It should be understood that like reference numbersused in the drawings may identify like components.

FIG. 1A is a chart containing certain initial steps of an embodiment ofa method of Session Initiation Protocol (“SIP”) signaling that may beused to perform a dynamic opaque SIP profile assignment at user sign-inupon running of a client application on a client device.

FIG. 1B is a chart similar to FIG. 1A containing certain additionalsteps of an embodiment of a method of Session Initiation Protocol(“SIP”) signaling that may be used to perform a dynamic opaque SIPprofile assignment at user sign-in upon running of a client applicationon a client device. It should be understood that the steps of the methodshown in FIG. 1B are subsequent to the steps shown in FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of a present preferred embodimentof a communication system illustrating a client device receiving aclient application and then signing in with a service via at least onenetwork connection.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a present preferred method ofsubscribing to a service and using that service.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a present preferred embodimentof a communication system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the apparatus for subscribing a single address and/orsession management service to multiple devices with a single account andpassword through an automatic assignment of a dynamic opaque SIP serviceprofile to each device a user uses to sign-in to the service arediscussed more fully below. Examples of devices a user may use to signin to the service may include, for example, tablets, smart phones,netbooks, or other computer devices or mobile computer devices such aslaptops, computers, cellular phones, communication terminals and mobilecommunication terminals. The service may be provided via one or moreservers. The at least one server may be one or more workstations, or oneor more other computer devices that are configured to host a service toa plurality of communication terminals, or client devices.

It should be appreciated that the communication terminals, clientdevices and computer devices may each be a device that has one or moreprocessor platforms such as microcontrollers, microprocessors, or otherprocessor elements and may also have memory such as non-transitorymemory that is connected to the processor platforms. Each device mayalso have one or more interfaces for connecting to different devices orcommunicating with those devices. For instance, each device may have awireless interface for forming wireless connections with other devicesand may also have an interface configured to permit a wired connectionbetween the device and another device. Additionally, each device mayinclude programs or applications that are stored in the memory of thedevice and run by the one or more processor platforms. The memory may benon-transitory memory. The programs may define steps of a method thatthe devices run or process.

The devices may include remote power sources such as batteries thatpower the devices. The devices may also be configured to be connected toa power source via a wired connection, such as a plug-in connection.Each of the devices may include one or more displays and may include oneor more input devices such as readers, touch screens, scanners,keyboards, a computer mouse, a key pad, or other input device.

A user of a communication terminal or client device, such as a cellularphone, may acquire a client application from a public or privateapplication store via a download of the application from a remote serveror computer device. The download of the client application may beperformed via a wireless connection, to that remote server. The wirelessconnection may include a connection that traverses one or more networkssuch as the internet. The client application may then be started on theusers client device that downloaded the client application to permit theuser to subscribe to a service through a sign-in procedure defined bythat client application. The procedure may require the user to enter hisor her user account information and a password as input. The useraccount information may include a name or code assigned to the useraccount and the password may be a code such as a string of letters,numbers and/or symbols. The user account information and password may betransmitted by the user's device to the service. No further informationmay be necessary to be entered by the user to sign in.

The service may enable the device to access and use the service inresponse to receipt of the user's subscription information by theservice. It should be appreciated that such information may betransmitted via one or more messages sent from the user's device to aserver hosting the service. The information may be provided by the useras input in response to one or more prompts created by the applicationthat is displayed or output to the user via the user' device running theapplication. Alternatively, the information may be provided in responseto one or more prompts or queries provided by the service that isreceived by the user's device and subsequently outputted to the user.

The running of the sign-in procedure at a particular device mayautomatically provision that device for the service and enable thedevice to be used to make and receive multi-modal real time sessionswith a single address assigned to the user. The service may allocatethat address to the machine upon the signing in with the service via thesign-in procedure performed by the communication terminal or clientdevice.

It should be appreciated that the service can also be used for advancedfeatures such as using one device to control sessions on another devicewhile the user only has to be aware of his or her single addressidentity used to sign-in to the service. Such functionality simplifiesthe data a user must know and provide to different devices to controlongoing communication sessions being participated in using differentdevices.

During the sign-in procedure, the service is configured to automaticallyprovision the client device with a dynamically assigned opaque deviceprofile. This dynamic opaque profile assignment may provide a pluralityof functions. For example, the assigned profile may provision the devicesuch that the client device is provisioned with all needed SIPparameters to make and receive multiple media sessions, the ability toselect a SIP profile out of a dynamically licensed pool of profiles, theability to create a unique application address binding between thesingle address and the dynamic profile address to allow the user toseamlessly control communication sessions on a signed in device from anyof the signed in devices, and the ability to provide opacity bycompletely hiding this procedure and it's complexity from the userincluding the address of the dynamic SIP profile. The hiding of theprocedure permits the user to have an experience of having seamlesscontrol over his or her different devices without being troubled withaddressing the complex requirements often associated with managingmultiple devices, which may provide an excellent user experience.

Examples of sign-in steps performed by a communication terminal and thedynamic profile assignment provided by the service are outlined below.First the client authenticates with the server using a single addressservice account. As part of the authentication signaling the clientdevice provides its mutable address to the server. For example, if theclient is a smart phone, the routable address may be the cell phonenumber. As another example, if the client is a laptop or a computer, theroutable address may be an IP address or a network address assigned tothe device. The routable address may be automatically read from anapplication or memory of the device via the sign-in application run bythe device. The automatic configuration exchange may not require anyuser input.

Upon a successful authentication, the service sends to the client adynamically assigned service profile. If the service is offered by oneor more servers, the service profile may be a server profile. Thedynamic service profile may contain a SIP identity which may be referredto as a dynamic address. One possible implementation or embodiment forthis first step is to use a SIP Subscribe/Notify handshake with an XMLbody containing the configuration data.

In the second step the client may use the dynamic service profilereceived froth the service to register with the service. Since theservice assigned the dynamic profile to the user's single addressservice account, the client responds to service challenges during theregistration with the credentials from the single address serviceaccount. The service binds the dynamic account to the user's singleaddress service identity. The binding process creates a compound addressthat contains both the dynamic address and the single address, which mayallow the user to receive sessions such as voice calls, video calls, orinstant messaging (IM) sessions made to his single address. It alsohelps allow the user to initiate sessions from the registered device andpresent its single address identity to his connected parties via theregistered device. It also allows the service to independently controleach of the user's devices that subscribed to the service using the newcompound address. One example of the compound address may be an addressdefined as: <single address 1 dynamic address>. If the sessionmanagement service supports third party call control procedures, theclient application run by the user's client device can control each ofthe subscribed devices from any subscribed device via communicationssent to the service and the use of this new compound address.

It should be understood that the new compound address may be stored andmanaged by the service and may be controlled by the client device viacommunications the client sends to the service that requires the serviceto utilize the compound address. Alternatively, it is contemplated thatthe compound address may be communicated to the client device such thatthe client device can control other client devices utilizing thecompound address either directly or in connection with communicationssent to the service.

In a third step the client device can manage sessions active on itsdevice as well as sessions that are active on other devices that havealso subscribed to the single address service. Using a third partysession control mechanism such as, for example, uaCSTA (User AgentComputer Supported Telecommunications Applications), the client devicecan identify and control these sessions. The client device can query andmonitor all sessions using the user's “single address”, and can identifywhich devices these sessions are active on by looking at the compoundaddress. This mechanism enables the advanced call control features suchas moving a session seamlessly from one device to another. For instance,the client device can request a move of an active communication sessionwith auto answer at the target device from <single address|dynamicaddress 1> to <single address|dynamic address 2>.

The method illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B provides an example of apractical embodiment of SIP signaling that may be used to perform adynamic opaque SIP profile assignment at user sign-in upon running of aclient application on a client device. In step 1, the client retrievesthe dynamic SW profile with an authenticated/challenged Subscribe/Notify(or blind notify as shown) handshake. The configuration data is sent tothe client in an XML body. In step 2, the client uses the profiles datafrom step 1 to register with the server. The server checks out a dynamiclicense for the dynamic profile usage. The server assigns the dynamicprofile to the user's single address service and creates the compoundaddress <single address dynamic address>. In step 3, the clientretrieves service states (for example active sessions on any othersigned-in device the user may have). The client is able to provideoutput to a user to identify any active sessions so that a user maycontrol any communication sessions on the client device or on any othersigned in device the user has previously signed-in on. For instance, asmay be appreciated from steps 3 a and 3 b, a device may communicate withthe service to cause a communication session to be moved to anotherdevice such that the moving of the active communication session isseamless. It should be understood that the moving of the communicationsession is seamless such that the moving of the communication session inunlike traditional transfers of phone calls. For instance, unlike atraditional transfer of a call, which would require a terminal to accepta transfer prior to the transferring to take place, a move does notrequire any prior acceptance as the move occurs seamlessly and theterminal to which the communication session is moved accepts the moveimmediately without having any verification of an acceptance beingrequired due to the configuration and implementation of the serviceprovided by the server communicating with devices registered with theserver. Further, the move operation is transparent to the remote party,who will not be able to identify that the user moved the communicationto a new device. The remote party does not receive display updates anddoes not observe an interruption in the media path. The remote partyonly sees that he or she is connected to the user's primary address.

Referring to FIG. 2, a communication system 11 may include a fast clientdevice 12 and multiple second client devices 14. The client devices 12and 14 may be connectable to a server 16 that hosts a service via anetwork 21. The network may be the internet or may be a collection ofinterconnected networks such as a plurality of interconnected privatenetworks. A remote server 18 that hosts a store service or other servicethat permits applications to be downloaded to the first client device 12and second client devices 14 may be available via the network 21 or byanother network.

The first client device 12 may communicate with the remote server 18 todownload an application. After receiving the application, the firstclient device 12 may install that application. As part of theinstallation, a user of the first client device may provide input to theapplication via an input device of the first client device. The inputmay include a sign-on name or account name and a password or otheraccess code. The input could also provide other information, such aspayment information for the subscriber. The first client device 12 maycommunicate that input to the server 16 hosting the service. The inputcould also include the address of the first client device 12.Alternatively, the address of the first client device 12 may be obtainedautomatically by the application obtaining such information from thememory of the first client device 12.

The server 16 hosting the service may receive the input from thesubscriber via one or more messages sent via the first client device 12.The input may include the address of the first client device either assubscriber entered input or automatically obtained information from thememory of the first client device 12. The server 16 may use such inputto define a single address service account for the subscriber and assigna single address, or primary service address, to that subscriber.

The server 16 may also authenticate the subscriber so that the firstclient device 12 is authenticated when running the downloadedapplication for access to the server and use of the service provided bythe server 16. In authenticating the first client device 12, the servicehosted by the server may assign a service profile to the first clientdevice 12. The service profile may contain an identification, such as anSIP identification. The SIP identification may be, for example, adynamic address assigned by the server 16 to the first client device 12.

The first client device 12 may use the service profile received from theservice to register with the service. For instance, the first clientdevice 12 may respond to service challenges during registration with theserver 16 by providing the server 16 with credentials from the serviceprofile. In response to receiving those credentials, the server 16 maybind the service profile of the first client device 12 to the singleaddress service account of the subscriber. The binding process performedby the server 16 may create a compound address for the first clientdevice 12 that is associated with the subscriber. The compound addressmay contain both the dynamic address assigned to the first client device12 and the single address assigned to the subscriber via the servicehosted by the server 16. The use of the compound address allows theservice to move communications from one device associated with thesubscriber to other devices associated with the subscriber that havepreviously been registered with the service. The dynamic addressesportion of the compound address identifies the device assigned to thatdynamic address and the primary address portion of the compound addressidentifies the subscriber to which that device is associated. By use ofthe compound addresses, the server 16 is able to identify all thedifferent devices that correspond to a user, or subscriber, withreference to the primary address and dynamic address components of thecompound address.

A user may subsequently use the first client device 12 to receivecommunication sessions initiated to his primary address of the service.The communication sessions may be, for example, voice calls, videocalls, or instant messaging sessions. A subscriber may use the firstclient device to also initiate communication sessions since the use ofthe compound address allows connection requests to other devicesidentify both the subscriber and the device to which the subscriber isavailable for a connection.

The subscriber may also manage active communication sessions via thefirst client device. The communication sessions that are manageable mayinclude communication sessions active on other client devices thesubscriber has previously registered, such as second devices 14. Thefirst client device 12 may query and monitor all communication sessionsusing the subscriber's primary address assigned by the service so thatthese sessions may be controlled by the subscriber using the firstclient device. The downloaded and installed application may be run viathe first client device 12 to define the method by which the firstclient device performs such monitoring and controlling of thecommunication sessions.

The service may identify to the first client device 12 whatcommunication sessions associated with the user of the first clientdevice 12 are currently active and on which devices associated with thatuser the sessions are being handled. The service may provide such datavia messages sent to the first client device 12 in response to a queryfrom the first client device for such information. Alternatively, suchdata may be periodically sent by the service to the first client device.

After the first client device 12 has been registered with andauthenticated by the server 16 hosting the service, a user may utilizethe first client device 12 to manage an active communication session.For instance, a user may provide input to the first client device 12 tomove an active communication session using a second client device 14 toanother second client device 14 or to the first client device 12. Thefirst client device 12 may provide such a request to the server via oneor more messages so that the communication session may be moved inaccordance with the directions received via the user input.

In one embodiment, the application run by the first client device 12 forregistering with and utilizing the service hosted by the server 16 is auser agent computer supported telecommunications application thatpermits the first client device 12 to provide third party communicationsession control. The first client device queries the server 16 tomonitor all communication sessions being unitized by other communicationdevices associated with a subscriber that the subscriber has previouslyregistered with the service, such as the second client devices 14. Thedifferent communication devices are identifiable via the compoundaddress that the server 16 assigns to each different device since thataddress includes the common subscriber primary address and also a uniquedynamic address assigned to each device. The first client device 12 canutilize information received from the server and subsequently provide arequest to the server 16 to move a particular communication session toanother device. Such a request may be a move request message thatincludes the compound address of the device currently handling an activecommunication session and the compound address of the device to whichthe communication session is to be moved. The compound address mayidentify devices using distinct networking technologies such as analogtelephones, cellular phones, or internet enabled devices. Alternatively,such a move request message may include identifiers associated with thedifferent compound addresses to identify those different devices to theserver to effectuate the move of the communication session.

Additional examples of how the first client device 12 may obtain and usean application for controlling communication sessions will be furtherdiscussed below with reference to FIG. 4. The first client device 12,which may be a SIP endpoint, or communication terminal such as, forexample, a mobile phone, a computer, a laptop, a personal digitalassistant, a netbook, or a tablet, may have a processor unit 41. Theprocessor unit 41 may include, for example, one or moremicrocontrollers, or at least one microprocessor. The processor unit 41is connected to non-transitory memory 45 that has an application 47stored thereon. The processor unit 41 runs the application 47 stored onthe memory 45. The application 47 may have been obtained via anapplication store service provided by a remote server 18, as discussedabove, or may have been purchased on a computer readable medium that wassubsequently used to install the application on the device, such asflash memory drive or other type of storage device having memory that isconnectable to the first client device 12. The processor unit 41 is alsoconnected to a transceiver unit 43 that may include a receiver unit anda transmitter unit for transmitting messages to other devices via one ormore types of connection paths, such as a wired connection path or awireless connection path.

The first client device 12 is able to communicate with a server 16 thathosts a service via a first communication path 55. The firstcommunication path 55 may include one or more hops via a networkconnection or may be a direct connection via a wireless or wiredcommunication path. The server 16 may have a transceiver unit 43 thatincludes at least one receiver and at least one transmitter forcommunicating with the first client device 12. The transceiver unit maybe connected to a processor. The processor unit 41 may be connected tomemory 45 that has a database 51 stored thereon. Alternatively, thedatabase 52 may be accessible to the server via a transmission path thatconnects the server 16 to a separate computer device 53 as shown indotted line in FIG. 4.

The server is able to communicate with a second client device 14 thathas the application 47 stored in memory 45 connected to a processor unit41. The application 47 has previously been registered and authenticatedwith the service hosted by the server 16 via a second communication path57 as may be appreciated from the above previous discussion of how anapplication may be downloaded and installed onto a client device. Thesecond client device 14 is able to communicate with the first clientdevice utilizing a transceiver unit 43 connected to the processor unit41 via a third communication path 59. The second client device 14 may bean SIP endpoint or communication terminal such as, for example, a mobilephone, a computer, a laptop, a personal digital assistant, a netbook, ora tablet computer device.

A user may own or be assigned to the first and second client devices 12and 14. The user may have previously installed and registered the secondclient device 14 with the service hosted by the server 16. The user maysubsequently utilize the application 47 of the first client device 12 toregister and authenticate the first client device 12 with the servicehosted by the server 16. For instance, the user may actuate theapplication so that the processor unit 41 of the first client device 12runs the application 47 via user input provided to the first clientdevice. Thereafter, the user may provide input to the first clientdevice 12 to send a message to the server 16 so that the first clientdevice 12 may be registered and authenticated with the service hosted bythe server 16. In so doing, the user may provide input to the firstcommunication device 12 that is subsequently transmitted to the serverto log in to the server to access the user's account. The user's accountmay be stored in the database 51 of the server 16 or may be stored in adatabase 52 accessible by the server.

The server 16 may receive the input from the user via the first clientdevice 12. The server 16 may check the licenses available to the userand, if the license limit has not yet been reached, the server 16 maytake steps to register the first client device 12 with the servicehosted by the server 16 to associate the user to the first client deviceso that the first client device may utilize the service offered by theserver 16.

The licenses that are available may be licenses of different types. Eachtype of license may define a number of features or the scope ofservices, offered by the service for that license type. The licenseassigned to the first client device 12 may therefore define the level ofservice and features provided by use of the service offered by one ormore servers 16.

After a user is logged in to the server 16 via the communication betweenthe first client device 12 and the server 16 via first communicationpath 55, the server 16 may send at least one message along the firstcommunication path 55 to the first client device to assign a dynamicaddress to the first client device 12 or to assign a compound address tothe first client device 12 that includes the primary address of the userof the first client device 12 and also has a dynamic address assigned tothe first client device 12 to identify that particular device thatcorresponds to the user.

It should be appreciated that the server 16 may also send additionalinformation, such as other SIP parameters or other information neededfor the first client device to exchange messages with other devicesusing the service hosted by the server 16. Such parameters or additionalinformation may be dependent upon the type of license acquired by theuser. The server 16 could also send other dynamic addresses assigned toother client devices, such as second client device 14 to the firstclient device 12 for the first client device 12 to communicate with thesecond client device 14 via the third communication path 59. Suchinformation could all be part of a server profile that is transmitted tothe first client device after it is determined that a license isavailable for the user to register the first client device with theservice hosted by the server 16.

The server 16 may monitor communication session activities of thedifferent client devices associated with the user and maintain such datain a database 51 or 52 accessible to the server. The sever may alsoperiodically send messages to the different client devices registeredwith the service that are associated with the user to update the devicesas to the communication session statuses of the other devices.Alternatively, the first communication device 12 may send queries orother messages to the server 16 to obtain statuses of communicationsessions ongoing using other client devices associated with the user,such as the second communication device 14.

The first client device may utilize an interface via instructionsdefined by the application 47 for providing the communication sessionstatus information to the user. Examples of such interfaces or displaysthat may be used to provide such data to a user may be appreciated fromU.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/419,412 and InternationalPatent Application No. PCT/US11/58348, which was filed on Oct. 28, 2011.The entirety of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/419,412 isincorporated herein by reference. The entirety of International PatentApplication No. PCT/US11/58348 is incorporated herein by reference.

A user may utilize the information displayed or communicated by thefirst client device 12 relating to the communication sessions to provideinput that provides instructions for controlling the handling of thecommunication sessions. Such input may include a request that istransmitted to the server via first communication path 55 to instructthe server to move an ongoing communication session from one clientdevice associated with the user to another client device associated withthat user. The server 16 may receive that instruction and, in responseto that instruction, send at least one message to another client device,such as second client device 14, to effectuate the move of the ongoingcommunication session. Alternatively, the input requesting a move of anongoing communication session may be included in a request that isdirectly transmitted from the first client device 12 to another device,such as a second client device 14 via the third communication path 59.

It should be appreciated that the requests for moving a communicationsession may include the compound addresses of the client devicecurrently handling the communication session and also the compoundaddress of the client device to which the communication session is to bemoved. For instance, a request that is directly transmitted may be sentfrom the first client device to the second client device 14 via thirdcommunication path 59 that includes the compound address of the secondclient device 14 that is currently handling a communication session andthe compound address of the first client device 12 to which thecommunication session is to be moved. The request may also include acommand to actuate the moving of the communication session.

It should be appreciated that embodiments of the communication systemand communication device discussed above may be modified to meetdifferent design objectives. For instance, the connectivity between acommunication device and the service hosted by one or more servers maybe direct or through multiple hops. For example, a communication devicemay communicate to the server hosting the service by sending messages toan access point to be forwarded to the server through one or moregateways or other nodes within one or more networks. It should beunderstood that the access point may be, for example, a router, a basestation, or a switch. The connectivity may be automatically determinedbased on an automatic configuration mechanism of the device.

Embodiments of the present invention may help eliminate complications sothat a user may more easily use his or her devices for engaging incommunication sessions. For instance, a user need not know any deviceaddresses or numbers for configuring the other devices the user may haveto utilize embodiments of the invention. The user needs only to downloadand install the application on multiple devices for associating thosedevices with the user. Upon installing the application, the user mayonly have to enter the user sign-on code and password for associatinghis device and having the association stored and recognized by theservice. Further, when moving a communication session, a user need notuse a device for rejoining any communication sessions or taking othertime consuming steps that create noticeable delays to communicationsession participants when moving a communication session.

While certain present preferred embodiments of the communication device,communication system, and methods of making and using the same have beenshown and described above, it is to be distinctly understood that theinvention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodiedand practiced within the scope of the following claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A communication apparatus comprising: afirst communication device comprising a processor connected to anon-transitory computer readable medium, the first communication deviceconfigured to send a registration request message to a server hosting aservice to register with the server such that the server associates thefirst communication device with a first user, assigns a service addressto the first communication device, and associates the service addresswith the first communication device and the first user; the firstcommunication device configured to send a first active communicationsession move request message to the server, the first activecommunication session move request message identifying the firstcommunication device or a second communication device associated withthe first user to which the first active communication sessionassociated with the first user is to be moved while the first activecommunication session is ongoing; and wherein the first activecommunication session move request message comprises a compound addressof the first communication device or the second communication device,the compound address comprising a primary address associated with thefirst user and the compound address also including the service addressof the first communication device or a service address of the secondcommunication device to which the first active communication session isto be moved while the first active communication session is ongoing. 2.The communication apparatus of claim 1 comprising the server, the servercomprising a processor connected to a non-transitory computer readablemedium; and wherein the primary address associated with the first userdiffers from the service address of the first communication device andalso differs from the service address of the second communicationdevice.
 3. The communication apparatus of claim 2 wherein the serversends the first communication terminal communication session dataconcerning active communication sessions involving the first user ondevices associated with the first user for use via the service providedby the server.
 4. The communication apparatus of claim 1 wherein the atleast one routable address of the first communication device is providedin a message based on data stored on the non-transitory computerreadable medium of the first communication device.
 5. The communicationapparatus of claim 1 wherein the service address of the firstcommunication device is a dynamic address assigned by the server to thefirst communication device for use by the first communication devicewhen communicating with the server for use of the service; and whereinthe primary address associated with the first user differs from theservice address of the first communication device and also differs fromthe service address of the second communication device.
 6. Thecommunication apparatus of claim 1, comprising: the server, the serverhaving a processor connected to a non-transitory computer readablemedium, wherein the server hosts the service via at least one networkconnection between the server and the first communication device.
 7. Thecommunication apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first communicationdevice is a computer, a laptop, a netbook, a phone, a mobile phone, acellular phone, a desktop computer, a tablet computer, or a personaldigital assistant; wherein the server is configured to confirm that alicense is available to the first user prior to sending the registrationresponse to the first communication terminal; and wherein the server isconfigured to assign a level of service and features for the servicebased on the service address assigned to the first communication device,the primary address and the license.
 8. A method for registering acommunication device with a service for using the service to move atleast one active communication session associated with a first usercomprising: a first communication device sending a registration requestmessage to a server hosting a service to register with the server suchthat the server associates the first communication device with the firstuser, assigns a service address to the first communication device, andassociates the service address with the first communication device andthe first user; the first communication device receiving a registrationresponse message from the server in response to the registration requestmessage, the registration response message identifying the serviceaddress such that the first communication device is connectable to theserver for using the service using the service address; the firstcommunication device receiving at least one message from the serveridentifying at least a first active communication session associatedwith the first user after the first communication device is registeredwith the service hosted by the server, the first active communicationsession involving a second communication device; and the firstcommunication device sending a first active communication session moverequest message to the server in response to the received at least onemessage identifying the first active communication session, the firstactive communication session move request message identifying the firstcommunication device and/or a third communication device associated withthe first user to which the first active communication sessionassociated with the first user is to be moved while the first activecommunication session is ongoing so that a move of the first activecommunication session is effected to move the first active communicationsession from the second communication device to the first communicationdevice or the fourth communication device identified in the first activecommunication session move request message while the first activecommunication session is ongoing; and wherein the first activecommunication session move request message comprises a compound addressof the first communication device or the fourth communication deviceidentified in the first active communication session move requestmessage, the compound address comprising the service address of thefirst communication device or a service address of the fourthcommunication device and a primary address associated with the firstuser.
 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the server confirminga license is available to the first user for registering the firstcommunication device prior to sending the registration response message.10. The method of claim 9 wherein the service address of the firstcommunication device is a compound address, the compound addresscomprising a dynamic address assigned to the first communication deviceand the primary address assigned to the first user.
 11. The method ofclaim 8 wherein the first communication device is a computer, a laptop,a netbook, a tablet computer device, a phone, a mobile phone, a cellularphone, desktop computer, or a personal digital assistant; and whereinthe primary address associated with the first user differs from theservice address of the first communication device and also differs fromthe service address of the second communication device.
 12. The methodof claim 8 wherein the registration response message comprises a serviceprofile or a Session Initiation Protocol service profile.
 13. The methodof claim 8, comprising: the server sending the registration responsemessage to the first communication device in response to theregistration request message.
 14. The method of claim 13, comprising:the server sending the at least one message identifying the first activecommunication session associated with the first user after the firstcommunication device is registered with the service hosted by theserver.
 15. The method of claim 8, comprising: the server sending the atleast one message identifying the first active communication sessionassociated with the first user after the first communication device isregistered with the service hosted by the server; and wherein theprimary address associated with the first user differs from the serviceaddress of the first communication device and also differs from theservice address of the second communication device.
 16. The method ofclaim 8, comprising: the sever effecting the move of the first activecommunication session from the second communication device to the firstcommunication device or the fourth communication device identified inthe first active communication session move request message while thefirst active communication session is ongoing in response to the firstactive communication session move request message.
 17. The method ofclaim 16, comprising: the server sending the registration responsemessage to the first communication device in response to theregistration request message; and the server sending the at least onemessage identifying the first active communication session associatedwith the first user after the first communication device is registeredwith the service hosted by the server.
 18. A non-transitory computerreadable medium having code stored thereon, the code defining a methodto be run by a first communication device that processes the code, themethod comprising: the first communication device sending a registrationrequest message to a server to register with the server; and after thefirst communication device receives a registration response message fromthe server identifying a service address assigned to the firstcommunication device such that the first communication device isconnectable to the server for using the service hosted by the server byusing the service address, the service address comprising a compoundaddress having a primary address associated with the first user and adynamic address assigned by the server, the first communication devicesending a first active communication session move request message to theserver in response to at least one message received from the serveridentifying at least a first active communication session associatedwith the first user after the first communication device is registeredwith the service hosted by the server, the first active communicationsession involving a second communication device associated with thefirst user and a third communication device associated with a seconduser, the first active communication session move request messageidentifying one of the first communication device and a fourthcommunication device associated with the first user to which the firstactive communication session associated with the first user is to bemoved while that active communication session is ongoing to cause theserver to effect a move of the active communication session to the firstcommunication device or the fourth communication device identified inthe first active communication session move request message.
 19. Thenon-transitory computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the firstcommunication device is a computer, a laptop, a netbook, a tabletcomputer device, a phone, a mobile phone, a cellular phone, desktopcomputer, or a personal digital assistant; and wherein the primaryaddress associated with the first user differs from the service addressof the first communication device and also differs from the serviceaddresses of the second communication device, also differs from theservice addresses of the third communication device and also differsfrom the service addresses of the fourth communication device.
 20. Thenon-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the serviceaddress of the first communication device is a dynamic address assignedby the server to the first communication device for use by the firstcommunication device when communicating with the server for use of theservice.